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Last chance to vote Bonds, Molina

Last chance to vote Bonds, Molina

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By Chris Haft
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MLB.com |

Just as Barry Bonds has one more rung to climb in his ascent toward baseball's home run record, the Giants left fielder also must inch ahead one more notch to reach the spot he wants in the All-Star balloting.

Bonds remains fourth in the voting for a starting berth in the National League All-Star outfield, according to the latest updates. San Francisco's cleanup hitter has 1,213,423 votes, trailing the New York Mets' Carlos Beltran, Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr. and the Chicago Cubs' Alfonso Soriano.

Hoping to nudge Bonds into the top three, the Giants have launched a "Vote Bonds" campaign to assure their star of participating at home in the 78th Midsummer Classic, scheduled for July 10 at AT&T Park. The Giants also are pushing catcher Bengie Molina, San Francisco's only other player to rank among the top five. Molina's 687,937 votes place him fifth behind the Los Angeles Dodgers' Russell Martin, the Mets' Paul Lo Duca, Atlanta's Brian McCann and Milwaukee's Johnny Estrada.

Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with the Monster 2007 All-Star Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 club sites until Thursday at 8:59 p.m. PT.

Fans will again be given the opportunity to cast an All-Star vote immediately following the 2007 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show Presented by Chevrolet, which will be televised by Turner Sports on Sunday. Baseball fans around the world will be able to select the final player on each All-Star team via the Monster.com 2007 All-Star Final Vote.

Selecting the rosters isn't the end of the fun in 2007, either. Concluding the All-Star balloting process, fans will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player presented by Chevrolet at the All-Star Game via the Monster.com 2007 All-Star Game MVP Vote at MLB.com.

The All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage, while MLB.com will offer extensive online coverage and MLB Radio will have exclusive play-by-play coverage of the game on the Internet.

Bonds, who's six homers short of matching all-time leader Hank Aaron's 755, owned a .293 average with 15 homers and 35 RBIs through Sunday. The 13-time All-Star also leads the NL with a 1.086 OPS (on-base percentage plus slugging percentage).

Entering Sunday, Molina ranked second among NL catchers with a .291 average and 38 RBIs, fourth with seven homers and tied for fifth with 12 doubles. Molina is seeking his first All-Star recognition.

Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.